Justin Greene wins Atlantic League batting title

For the first time in York Revolution history, the club has produced the Atlantic League batting champion. Right fielder Justin Greene’s .358 effort this season is his second consecutive league batting title, after he was the top hitter in the Double-A Southern League a season ago for the Mobile BayBears (Arizona Diamondbacks).

Greene, who peaked at .393 this season and for much of the year threatened the Atlantic League single-season batting record of .371 (Vic Rodriguez, Somerset ’04), allowed little drama into the race. He finished 11 points ahead of Long Island outfielder Lew Ford (.347). Greene’s breaking of the York single-season franchise record was decided weeks ago, as he breezed past Ramon Castro’s mark of .339 in 2010. He ended up with the fourth-best season average in Atlantic League history, and was the first player to bat over .350 since 2007.

The seven-year pro hit safely in a dazzling 91 of 107 games with the Revolution, after signing with York on May 23. That included a 21-game hit streak from August 24 to September 18, which tied the season-long in the Atlantic League this season. (Long Island outfielder Fehlandt Lentini compiled two separate 21-game streaks). It was also the fifth-longest hit streak in Revolution history.

After the streak was snapped on September 19 at Sugar Land, Greene responded by homering on the very first pitch of the game the next night, setting the tone for a 5-1 York victory. Of his seven home runs this season, five were leadoff homers in the first inning – another Revolution record. Upon entering the league, Greene quickly established himself as more than just a singles-hitting leadoff hitter. He slugged exactly .500 to go with a .423 on-base percentage, (.923 OPS), and finished with 28 doubles and seven triples to go with the seven dingers. Greene was named 2014 York Revolution MVP on September 12, and he’s also the first player in franchise history to lead the league in on-base percentage.